My Secret Valentine
by Tiiulicious
Summary: Sort of AU. Nadia's secret love is in jeopardy because of another woman who will stop at nothing to get her man to herself.
1. Chapter 1

This is my new fic with quite an unusual pairing. I always wanted to write about these two together and here it is. This started life as a one parter, but I liked writing it so much that it will have a few chapters instead of just one. I hope you like it. 

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone, JJ Abrams does.

**My Secret Valentine**

"We are going to have to tell Sydney at some point. I know you don't want to hurt her, but I'm not going to stay away from you. I love you and we are not doing anything wrong, we just fell in love," Nadia Santos said to the man laying beside her, trying desperately to get through to him on the topic of telling someone they both loved the truth.

"I love you too, but too many people will get hurt if we go open with our relationship. Sydney, Irina, your father, Weiss…the list could go on forever." Jack Bristow signed heavily and didn't feel he could look at her right now. If he would have, he would have seen the look of hurting in her dark eyes.

Their affair had started after a Parisian mission a couple of months ago. After they had successfully apprehended a high ranking member of an International terrorist organization, he had took her to dinner to celebrate and after many, many classes of wine, they had ended up sharing a bed for reasons other than merely sleeping.

After returning to the States, both had decided to brush their night of passion under the rug and pretend it never happened. But neither had thought it would be as difficult as it was. It had started up again with stolen glances and hidden thoughts and before long both knew it wasn't going to stay a meaningless one-night stand.

They succumbed five weeks after their first time and after that, their meetings had become more regular. She had fallen for him, the same way he had fallen for her. In an ideal world, they could have been a real couple, but not in the world they lived in. At least not right now.

Nadia found it quite absurd that she was in love with her half-sisters father and her mother's former husband. Her life had suddenly gone from being quite simple, if you don't count the fact that she was an international spy, to starring in her very own adaptation of soap opera Days of our lives.

"I want to be with you. I want to hold your hand and kiss you in public. I can't take this lying and deceiving any more. If you won't be with me in public, I won't be with you in secret. It's either a real relationship or nothing at all. Do you have any idea what it feels like watching Rachel flirting with you at the office without being able to step in and take my place at your side?" Nadia said again with some much determination that it caught Jack by surprise. She rose to a sitting position in the bed with a white sheet covering her bare chest and looked at him, really looked at him in a way that couldn't be ignored.

"I want all those things as well. I don't have any interest in Rachel; you are the only woman who captures my imagination and attention. But I can't hurt my daughter in any way, she is my life and this would devastate her." Jack said in a rational voice and took her hand into his.

"I won't play secret couples with you any more. If you can't commit to me, I will find someone else who will," Nadia said and got out of his bed and started putting her clothes on. 

"You have to give me some time. I can't change over night into someone who you want me to be. I have been alone for a long time now and I'm not good at this dating thing. I believe my last date was when Jimmy Carter was still in office." Jack said trying to liven up the serious mood of the room. He really didn't want Nadia to go, but couldn't give her what she wanted at this moment.

Nadia didn't respond to him and finished dressing in silence. She didn't look at him, knowing full well that if she did, she wouldn't be able to keep her resolve.

"I'll see you at the office tomorrow, I'll go now. I want you to think what I said and tell me later that can you commit to me the way I deserve. It's either all or nothing with me," Nadia said and walked to where he was sitting on the bed and kissed him deeply before exiting to the cold winter night with hot tears burning in her eyes.

--

She tried her best to calm down before she would have to go home. She had moved out of Sydney's apartment when she and Vaughn had started living together and found a surprising roommate in Lauren Reed, Vaughn's former wife.

She had moved in a couple of months ago and actually had bonded with Lauren, who had been pardoned for her involvement with the covenant. Lauren was very good at reading Nadia's thoughts and was the only one she had opened up about her feelings for Jack. She didn't want to go home in tears and looking sad, because she would read her like an open book and didn't feel like to be a patient on her analyzing couch.

But tonight was not her night, Lauren was sitting in armchair in the kitchen with a thick book in her lap and a cup of hot chocolate in her hands. Nadia tried sneaking slowly and quietly to her room without alerting her, but it failed miserably.

"Nads, what are you doing at home. I would have thought you'd be in Jack Bristow's arms by now and the passion would be igniting." Lauren said interrupting Nadia in mid-walk.

"Not to tonight, I didn't feel very good. I'm going to bed, good night Lauren," Nadia said with fake yawn and turned her back to the blonde who was now eyeing her suspiciously.

"I'm not buying it. Did you and Jack fight about something? I know you want to vent to someone and I'm here for you," Lauren said in a soft voice and got up from the chair and moved to the sofa in the middle of the room and gestured to Nadia to sit down next to her.

She signed and sat next to the blonde-haired woman. She knew she had no way out of her inquisition and maybe telling someone was a good thing.

"I told Jack that I wanted him to date me in public or everything was over between us. I gave him a ultimatum, tell Sydney about us or lose me." Nadia said and as soon as the words had left her mouth, she regretted to actually doing that to the man she loved. She didn't need Lauren telling her that she had been an idiot.

"You did what? Why would you start giving ultimatums to a man who would die rather than hurt his daughter. You have to know that that Sydney has been his life for a long time now and if he had to choose between you two, Sydney would win every time." Lauren said in a voice full of disapproval.

"I don't know why I did it, I just want to be the first thing in his life. I know it was stupid, but…," Nadia replied letting her voice disappear into silence.

"Tomorrow at work, you need to go to him and take it all back. Jack loves you, I'm sure of it, you just need to give in some space and time. I know from experience that haste makes waste. If you push any further, he will go exactly the other direction you want. Do you want to stand in a church and watch him marry Rachel in the future? We both know that Rachel has been eyeing the title of Mrs. Jack Bristow ever since his divorce from Irina became final and she will eventually get her way, if you let her." Lauren said, trying to appeal to Nadia's sense of completion and dislike of Rachel.

"The day when Rachel becomes Jack's wife, hell will freeze over. That woman will get him over my cold, dead body. You're right, I will give him some time and let things evolve in their own accord." Nadia said and hugged Lauren excitedly.

"That's right, go get your man back," Lauren laughed and hugged the other girl back. Tomorrow she would have to do some damage control and make sure Rachel would not even get an opportunity to make a play for the man she loved.

To Be Continued… 


	2. Chapter 2

PART 2

Nadia had a restless night, she had spent the night going through in her head what she was going to say to Jack as she got to work in the morning. When she had finally fallen asleep, she had been awoken by a nightmare where she was forced to be a bridesmaid in Jack and Rachel's wedding and when she had tried to object, no sound had come from her throat.

Morning had been better as Lauren had made pancakes as she always did when she was nervous about something. Today, she would be returning to the Los Angeles branch of the CIA for the first time since her pardon was negotiated. She would be working as a informant from now on, alongside her former husband and his pregnant girlfriend, Nadia's half sister Sydney.

"Do you think that I look like okay? I have changed clothes at least four times this morning?" Lauren asked with a slight panic in her voice as she modeled her wardrobe to Nadia. The older woman was clad in a white business suit and her hair was swept back in a tight bun. Lauren was most definitely aiming to look both innocent and a professional.

"I think you look fine, it's not the clothes that people will be judging. Just be yourself and make them fall in love with you all over again. Now lets get going, or we'll be late." Nadia said in an encouraging tone and motioned to the front door.

The girls left with an amicable silence, both wrapped up in their own world. Lauren wanted to make sure she came off as a professional and not like a convicted criminal. Nadia on the other hand was polishing her speech to Jack in her mind.

--

"You are so smart, Mr. Bristow. I would have never thought about that possibly." Rachel said in a flirtatious voice while sitting on the edge of his desk, studying something he was doing with the computer.

That was the sight that greeted Nadia when she made her way to the office. Rachel crossing and uncrossing her miniskirt clad legs on his desk and touching Jack's shoulder as a way to attract the older mans full attention. Nadia had to give it to Jack, who to his credit wasn't paying much attention to her and looked slightly uncomfortable.

"Count to ten and breathe in and out. She is just showing Jack why he will never get together with her. She is too easy for his taste and besides he already has you. Why would a man trade a class act like you for a cheap knock-off like Rachel?" Lauren whispered and squeezed the other woman's hand in a reassuring gesture.

"You're right, she's just making a fool of herself. Lets go get some coffee before the briefing starts." Nadia replied and made herself walk away from the spectacle Rachel was making.

--

Nadia was studying Jack carefully as Dixon was giving them an update regarding a case Sydney and Vaughn had been working on for some time now. He was listening to Dixon intently and secretly looked at Nadia a few seconds at a time before redirecting his gaze to the director. Nadia, who was sitting next to Lauren on the other side of the room, was quite happy that Rachel was not sitting next to Jack, but instead was sitting between Sydney and Marshall.

"Then on to the reason why I asked Ms. Reed to join us this morning. As we all know, she used to co-head the North-American branch of the Covenant and her contacts and knowledge are valuable to us from now one." Dixon said gesturing to Lauren and gave a small, very Dixon-like smile.

"This is Vincent Daivari, currently number six in the FBI's 10 most wanted." Dixon said while a picture of a man in his thirties appeared on to the screen they were all looking at. The man was short and gangly with dark, cold eyes.

"Isn't he wanted for selling both weapons and nuclear secrets to Al-Qaeda and is believed to have supplied the material to the suicide bombers that killed 20 in a hotel filled with American tourists in Amman, Jordan?" Vaughn asked while flipping through the file that he had been presented a few moments beforehand.

"That's the one. He is extremely dangerous and we need him alive. By capturing Daivari, we would be able to stop similar bombings in the Asia Minor he has been planning, especially since the president is scheduled to meet Jordan's King Abdullah in Aqaba later this month. I think everyone in this room realizes that a lot is at stake at the summit, Jordan has possibly the best change to get the fighting parties at the conference table and negotiate a peace treaty in the coming months," said Dixon diverting back to his serious tone and all hints of a smile had disappeared.

"I believe this is were I come in! I have had business dealings with Daivari in the past and I gained his trust during that time. At the request of Dixon, I made some inquireries and learned that he is in the market for a bomb maker who can cause the most amount of damage imaginable," Lauren said speaking up for the first time during the briefing. She felt the people around her eyeing her intently and she could have sworn she saw a glint of disbelief in Sydney's eyes. She didn't blame her in the least, Lauren was sure that if the roles were reversed, she wouldn't believe her either.

"So, I'm sending Rachel, Jack, Lauren and Nadia to Amman to handle this. This is deep cover, but I'm confidant there will be no problems." Dixon replied with glances to the three agents and one reformed criminal who would be participating in the mission.

"Lauren, you go in first to re-establish your contact with Daivari. Then, As we've learned, he will only work with married people as he believes they have to most to lose, Jack and Rachel you go in as a couple of happy, newlywed bomb makers. Nadia, I want you to provide backup and continue as Lauren's case officer during this mission. Okay people, let's go to work." Dixon finished and indicated that everyone should go start the preparations.

Nadia was sure Dixon had said something after giving Rachel and her man an assignment to act like newlyweds, but in her blind rage she didn't pay attention to anything else following that. If Lauren hadn't been sitting next to her and slightly stepping on her toes, she would have done something drastic, like starting a WWE-style chick smack down with Rachel in the middle of the room.

"Nadia, can I talk to you for a moment?" Dixon requested and walked to his office waiting her to follow him. She did as he asked and seethed her way to her boss's office.

"I want you to make sure Ms. Reed follows the rules of her pardon to a tee and that's why I'm sending you as a backup rather than an undercover agent. Also I want to know that can you handle working alongside Rachel and Jack? I have suspected there is something personal going on between you and Jack Bristow for a while now and your reaction today confirmed those beliefs." Dixon said studying her with concern. He didn't want this mission to go awry just because his agents couldn't keep their personal feelings in check.

Nadia didn't know how to answer him for a moment. She wanted to reassure her boss that she was nothing if not a professional, but couldn't guarantee that the first time she saw Rachel was pimping herself to Jack that she wasn't going to punch her in the mouth.

"I can handle it, you don't need to worry about it. I would like it if you didn't share this information to anyone. My personal relationship with Jack won't affect my work and it doesn't need to be the main gossip topic in the office," Nadia replied with steely determination. She hoped Dixon would take her at face value and agree to keep this a secret.

"I see no reason to start spreading rumors about my agents, so I won't tell anyone what I may or may not know about your dating life. As long as you two keep a low profile while at work, it doesn't concern me what you do at off-hours." Dixon said with a smile she wanted to believe was a sign of acceptance and approval.

She nodded gratefully at Dixon and left the office to find Jack and talk to him before the mission started. Instead she stumbled to the weirdest sight of them all; Lauren and Sydney talking and neither looking angry, teary or upset. She had to close her eyes and open them to make sure she wasn't hallucinating. Nope, the two definitely were talking.

She didn't want to interrupt the conversation; it would be nice if her sister and roommate could at least be civil towards each other. She wasn't deluding herself into thinking that they would ever be bosom buddies, but cordial was better than snide remarks and open hostility.

Deep in thought, Nadia didn't notice a man's figure following her as she made her way to the ladies bathroom to fix her make-up before talking to Jack. She was in one heated movement pulled into the bathroom and pushed against the door while a familiar pair of lips attached themselves on to hers.

Jack had watched her today and found it harder and harder to keep a cool distance between them at work. She looked amazing and he had to admit to himself that no woman since Irina had affected him in the same way. It surprised him that Irina didn't have that strong of a hold in his heart anymore and he was free to love his former wife's daughter without guilt where Irina was concerned.

"I missed you and my bed has never felt as empty and cold as it did this morning. I'm not going to let you go," Jack said in between kissing her lips and neck.

"You will never have to miss me. I'm sorry that I started giving you ultimatums, I don't want to push you into doing something you're not ready for. You will tell Sydney when you are ready," Nadia said stopping the passionate kiss for a moment and taking his eyes hostage for a moment.

Their moment was interrupted by the combined ringing of their cell phones. This better be good, Nadia signed and answered. It was Marshall, asking her to come to get her gizmos for the assignment. Jack apparently had a similar type of phone call, but not from Marshall but Rachel as she could hear her phony laugh on the other line.

That bitch was going down. Nadia made a mental promise, anyone who interrupted her alone time with Jack was in jeopardy of bodily harm, but she would personally pull every hair out of Rachel's bleached head if she stuck her oversized nose in her and Jack's relationship.

To be continued…

Next chapter: Mission starts and Jack tries to keep the peace.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

Nadia finished her phone call with Marshall in under a minute while Jack was still on the phone, not really talking other than the occasional yes and good. Rachel was obviously going on about something and Nadia could have sworn that her business had ceased being about work after the first sentence.

Jack notice the look of disdain on the face of Nadia and told Rachel he'd return momentarily and she could finish her point a bit later. Whatever Rachel was rambling on about wasn't worth getting scolded by the woman he loved.

"What was wrong with Rachel this time? She needed help accessing a file or wanted a second opinion about a mission? And you are of course the only one that can help her, right?" Nadia said in more jealous tone than she had wanted. She hadn't considered herself a jealous person in the least, but something about the way Rachel shamelessly flirted with Jack triggered a very jealous region in her brain. She wasn't this bad when other women came in contact with him, only when the leggy blonde was around.

"She needed for me to show up for the photos. I didn't really listen to her all that much with you standing there looking this beautiful. We have approximately 5 to 10 minutes before we have to report back, so I suggest we use that time wisely," Jack replied taking her lips captive once more.

"What photos? Is Marshall once again taking pictures for one of his albums?" Nadia asked as they finally parted and she had turned to face the mirror to check the status of her make-up. She needed to freshen up, currently she looked thoroughly kissed.

"The photos are for the mission. We are taking fake wedding- and honeymoon shots to help build our cover," Jack said and kissed her on the cheek before exiting the bathroom in a quick fashion. He thought it was best for his safety not to stick around to see what his tempestuous girlfriend did when his sentence fully sank in.

--

"Lauren, can I talk to you for a minute?" Michael Vaughn said when he noticed that his ex-wife and girlfriend had stopped their chat that had made him very uncomfortable.

"Sure Michael." Lauren responded a little surprised. She had thought Michael would never want to have anything to do with her ever again.

"I want to clear the air between us, as we are going to be working alongside each other. It would be nice to get your guarantee that you have no intention to mess with my life with Sydney in any shape or form. If you can provide me that, I see no reason for this not to work," Michael said appraising Lauren with his green eyes.

"Michael, I spent four months in a maximum-security prison before I was pardoned. That gave me a new perspective in life and now that I'm free, I won't risk that freedom for anything. I'm not going to waste my life running after a man who doesn't love me and has a pregnant girlfriend, so you get my word that I won't interfere in your life at all." Lauren said looking at him straight in the eyes and signaled to him that he didn't need to worry about her plans.

"Thank you. By the way, what were you and Syd talking about?" Michael asked as Lauren had started walking away from him. She turned back to face him again.

"We came to an understanding. We are going to stay away from each other as much as it's humanly possible and when we have to be in the same company; our conversation will consist of small talk and agent business. I believe it's the most rational solution considering our volatile history." Lauren responded with a smile and gave him a small wink before making her way to Marshall's.

10 minutes later the whole team that would be departing to Amman, Jordan tonight stood in Marshall's office to see what he had invented to this particular mission.

"Jack and Rachel, you are going in as Matthew and Stacy Striker and you have been married for 5 months. You are both wanted because of connections to several terrorist cells. Jack, you are a bomb and explosive's expert and a former marine. Rachel, you're a rogue CIA agent accused of planting a bomb to the United States embassy in Berlin, Germany. You will have to convince Daivari that you are for real and get him to trust you enough to hire you to make the bomb for him. This is a file containing everything about your back-story and some additional information about Daivari; you'll need to read it before the meet. Now, Marshall, what do you have for us?" Dixon said handing both agents a file and turning the attention to Marshall Flinkman.

Marshall hadn't disappointed and had collected a weird looking assortment of things ranging from a wedding ring that acts as a listening devise and a watch, which has a camera.

As Marshall had handed out the necessary items needed for the mission, Nadia chose to stay and watch the photo shoot. Although Lauren did her best to change her mind, Nadia had made her decision and nothing was going to change that.

Nadia kept her eyes looked to Jack, who in her opinion looked incredibly good in black tux, white shirt and white tie. Rachel had flung herself into his arm, wearing a really low-cut dress that looked, in Nadia opinion, too slutty to be a real wedding dress. But then again anything the other woman wore, she found tacky and hookerish.

Jack was not enjoying the taking of the photos. He found it hard to pretend to look smitten with Rachel when the woman he actually cared for was in the same room. He did somehow manage to look somewhat believable until Marshall brought in a colorful, Hawaiian shirt he was supposed to wear in the honeymoon photos. There was no way he was putting that thing on.

After a heated argument and several cold stares later, Marshall had relented and agreed to let him wear a white T-shirt instead. Rachel had opted for a pink bikini that in Nadia's eyes made her look like Babe the pig. The amusing mental image kept her entertained for the remaining of the shoot.

--

"Good job Rachel, you really sold me that you are a slutty criminal. It was very believable, almost like the truth," Nadia quipped as the other agent was fishing for a complement from Jack about her bikini.

"Thanks Nadia for the inspiration, I took some pointers from you since no one does the hooker-look better." Rachel replied just as sweetly as Nadia. Jack had a bad feeling about this as he looked at the two women eyeing each other with contempt.

"At least I'm all natural and don't have the plastic surgeons number on speed dial." Nadia countered again and found it hard not to bitch slap the other woman.

"I think we should get going. The jet is arriving in an hour and there are still many things to do before that. Nadia, can you come with me to get the necessary paper work done?" Jack said swiftly and already steering his secret girlfriend away from Rachel before the fireworks could truly begin.

"I hate her, I hate her, I hate her," Rachel said angrily to a confused looking Marshall who didn't quite understand where the argument had come from.

Jack had managed to calm Nadia down before they boarded the private, CIA plane. Rachel on the other hand was still steaming from the argument and walked straight past Nadia without a glance in her direction. She did glance at Jack though, a glance that didn't go unnoticed from Nadia.

Lauren suspected trouble as she surveyed the scene unfolding in her presence. Nadia was stubborn and driven by her emotions, like Rachel. The two would eventually get physical with one another, if they had to spend too much time in the same company.

Lauren hadn't envisioned being part of another love triangle from hell; well at least she wasn't technically in the triangle this time. When Nadia had moved in, as a way to keep a closer eye on her some months ago, Lauren hadn't imagined to forming a tight friendship with her, but now as she had, Lauren was going to help ensure that Rachel butted out of her best friends love life. Nadia had helped her so much, so it was only prudent for her to return the favor.

To be continued…

Next chap: Lauren, Jack and Rachel go undercover and Nadia and Jack almost get caught making out…


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

Lauren was making the finishing touches to her outfit before she was scheduled to meet up with Vincent Daivari at the Palmyra restaurant located in the Le Royal Hotel in midtown Amman. He often did his business in that particular hotel and lived under an alias in one of its most luxurious suites.

She was sure that instead of butterfly's, there were a flock of birds fluttering about in her stomach. She hadn't been this nervous in years, not since her first assignment for the covenant. Lauren had tried capturing her former self by wearing something the old, evil Lauren would have worn to a meeting like this; tight black leather pants a revealing red blouse and oversized black sunglasses.

Lauren would have wanted Nadia's input, but the woman who was working as her handler, had disappeared somewhere almost as soon as the private plane had landed in Amman. Most likely she and Jack had found a nice comfortable closet in which to make-out in. She had been left alone with Rachel, who was reading the details of her cover and going through the mission in the phone with Marshall. Lauren was quite surprised that nobody had put two and two together and guessed the real reason why both Jack and Nadia were absent at the same time, since they were not actually that subtle.

"Were did Jack disappear? You haven't see him, have you?" Rachel quizzed the older blonde, who had tried her best at zoning out everything the annoyingly perky agent had been talking about in the last hour.

"I haven't seen him, sorry. He probably got held back," Lauren said and mentally added that it was Nadia's lips or other parts of her anatomy where he had gotten stuck in.

"I'm going to see where he is; I want to rehearse something before the meet. If he comes when I'm gone, tell him that I'm looking for him," Rachel asked while grapping her cell phone and heading out of the hotel room that had been reserved for the mission in the fourth floor of Le Royal Hotel.

"Sure do," Lauren replied cordially, with no intention to actually make sure Jack knew he was being searched. Nadia would kill her, if she allowed something to interrupt her alone time with Jack. She hoped the duo hadn't chosen the other hotel room reserved for the mission for their canoodling, because that would be the first place Rachel would look.

--

We should get back, we will be late if we stay like this any longer. Rachel will wonder if we don't show up soon," Jack whispered to the young woman laying next to him. They had managed sneak away under the pretence of exploring the hotel's security system and emergency exits before the mission truly got started. Jack had checked those things already of course, but the CIA didn't need to know that.

"Why should I move anywhere, when I can just lay in your arms a bit longer? Lauren can handle the cow until we get back. She's dealt with worse in her day," Nadia said irritably at the mention of the woman she hated during their romantic moment.

"Rachel's really not that bad you know. If you just got to know her better, you would like her I'm sure of it. You two are very much alike and I believe if you just gave her a chance, she would surprise you," Jack said thoughtfully. He didn't mind Rachel for the most part and knew her to be a capable field agent. He would have liked her even more, if she didn't constantly cling herself onto him.

At those worlds, Nadia scrambled out of the bed with a huff and began putting her clothes back on with righteous indignation. The day she would get along with Rachel would be the day that you could go ice skating in hell. Plus she was offended at the idea that her boyfriend thought she was anything like the obnoxious, irritating bimbo they both worked with.

"Rachel is all over you like a cheap suit. There is no way I'll ever get along with her, but if you like her so much, you are free to go be with her. See if I care," Nadia said furiously and flung a shoe she was holding in his direction. Luckily, he ducked and it hit the opposing wall instead.

Jack quickly dressed and started making the bed. He watched Nadia furiously searching her top that they had misplaced in the course of the last hour. She didn't look at him, but kept snorting in fury when she was not able to find her garment. After a few Spanish curses later, she found what she was looking for and put it on. Now the only thing she needed was her left shoe and then she was ready to go.

As he finished making the bed look presentable, Jack eyed her with a laugh playing in his eyes and calmly handed the high-heeled sandal back to her and enveloping her in a tight embrace. He wanted to reassure Nadia that he loved her and had not interest in Rachel. He did that by whispering couple of lines from Moment Like This' by Kelly Clarkson, that had been the song that had played in her apartment when they had finally owned up to having feelings for each other.

Nadia softened immediately and pressed her head against his shoulder. She couldn't stay mad at him when he was whispering something about a kiss that most people spent a lifetime looking for. They stayed like that until they heard a key being inserted into the lock.

Jack pulled away from Nadia in a and took a seat on one of the arm chairs in the room and started fiddling with his cell phone in almost perfect display of boredom. Nadia stayed standing and took a the hotel brochure that was on the table. She plastered a uninterested look on her face that she hoped would not display the emotions she had inside.

--

"Lauren Reed. I have to say I was truly surprised to get your call. You disappeared after the unfortunate passing of Mr. Sark at the hands of your hubby. I thought Uncle Sam had caught you, but clearly I was wrong. Where do I owe this immense pleasure?" Vincent Daivari asked taking Lauren's hand and kissing it all the while studying her with his cold, dark eyes. He had been waiting for her in one of the secluded booths in the Arabic-themed restaurant.

"I had to keep a low profile for a bit. The Seychelles is a marvelous place to spend a year, very stress free and relaxing. I highly recommended it," Lauren replied in a unattached voice, hoping to mask her real feelings towards the death of a man she had loved more than she could have ever imagined.

"What can I do for you, Ms. Reed? Anything that's mine, can very well be yours if you play your cards correctly," Daivari said pulling her chair back and after that taking a seat next to her.

"I hear you are in the market for a bomb maker and I just happen to know one that I'm sure will get the job done. I want to get back into the business and I think this deal could be lucrative for both of us. You get the bomb done and I get a nice fee for arranging the meeting between you and one of the most sought-after bomb makers in the world." Lauren continued in a professional voice and started looking at the menu that was had been brought to the table by a waiter.

"Let's discuss business at a later time, I think all work and no play makes Lauren a dull girl. Besides I believe there is more to your story than you're letting on. Before I even consider starting another business venture together, I want to get to know you all over again. This time without another man hovering anywhere near us," Daivari said and then whispered something in her ear.

--

"What the hell is Lauren doing?" Jack asked angrily as he noticed that the blonde woman had risen from the table and was moving out of the restaurant with Daivari who was leading her somewhere. That was not what was supposed to happen, they were supposed to eat and then she would bring Rachel and Jack into the meeting. Jack didn't like this development at all.

To be continued…

I know this was short, but the next one will be lot longer. I hope you enjoy this update.


	5. Chapter 5

I'm so sorry for the long delay in updating this fic, but my muse have been absent for a while. I hope you like this update.

My Secret Valentine

Chapter 5

"I knew we couldn't trust Lauren Reed. This can't be happening," Rachel complained angrily when the blonde had completely disappeared from their sight. Lauren had also removed the mic and the GSP tracker, meaning that they had no way to find or contact her.

"Shut up. She's one of the good guys now. This is just her way of getting Daivari to trust her. Lauren will be back, I'm sure of it," Nadia replied to the other woman in an angry tone and stood up so she was facing the taller woman.

"I bet you 1000 dollars that we won't see that double crossing bitch ever again. She and Daivari are most likely heading to a nice unextraditable country never to be seen again. You're an idiot Nadia, you bought her 'I'm a reformed criminal and I want to redeem myself' bullshit hook, line and sinker," Rachel scoffed and faced her directly, not backing down.

"Just because you are a backstabbing whore that doesn't mean everyone are as well. One good thing came out of this, it is finally established that blondes really are dumb," Nadia noted angrily with a malicious glint in her dark eyes.

"Isn't that the pot calling the cattle black and if anyone is a backstabbing whore, it's you." Rachel fired back and inched closer to Nadia.

"You're the one who runs after a man who isn't interested in you at all. You throw yourself at Jack constantly, which is pathetic and kinda whorish," Nadia said not caring that everything they said could be heard in the CIA.

"You don't know anything what goes on between Jack and me so I would just shut up. Don't get on my case because good boy Weiss dumped you and no one wants to be with you." Rachel said surely and glanced at Jack who was wisely staying out of this argument.

"You and Jack don't have anything, how can I get this through your thick skull. You are more deluded than I thought if you think you have any shot at being the next Mrs. Jack Bristow, because he's my boyfriend," Nadia said and only after the words had left her mouth it hit home what she had actually said. Their secret relationship wasn't that secret anymore, obviously.

--

"Did I hear correctly? I thought I heard that Nadia said she and Jack were dating," Marshall said while trying to adjust the connection in the belief that there was something wrong with the system.

Sydney stood trying to wrap her head around what she had just heard. Her sister had told Rachel that she was dating her father. That can't be true, dad would never do that to her. She could have ignored what she thought she heard, if it wasn't for the shocked expressions on the faces of Weiss and Michael. They had heard it as well.

She felt sick to her stomach, partly because she was pregnant, but for the most part for the nausea that surfaced with the idea of her father sleeping with her little sister. How could they do that? It was almost incestuous, even if they weren't related by blood. She was never going to speak to either of them again if they really were in a relationship. They were betraying everything she cared about. 

"Syd, you okay?" Michael asked concerned and trying to mask his surprise about the newest piece of information about his sister-in-law's dating life.

"Would you be okay if you found out that your father was in a relationship with your sister?" Sydney snapped angrily at the question she viewed as extremely dumb. 

--

"What?" Rachel screeched in a voice loud enough to be heard by anyone who had ears in the near vicinity of the room they were currently in.

"Jack, I'm sorry I didn't mean to blurb it out, but I'm kinda happy that everyone knows now. We can now be together freely," Nadia said ignoring Rachel's fuming and foot stomping. As far as she was concerned, the blonde wasn't in the room.

"I love you Nadia, but this is not the place to discuss this. This mission is in danger and as much as I care for you, we need to focus on this," Jack said with professionalism, but still there was a certain tenderness in his eyes that was directed to Nadia. In the midst of all of this drama, none had noticed Lauren entering the hotel room looking quite satisfied with herself.

"Miss Reed, where the hell you disappeared to? You were supposed to chat with Daivari at the restaurant and then introduce me and Rachel to him." Jack inquired angrily and the softness in his eyes had disappeared.

"Our cover would have been blown if I had insisted on Daivari to meet you there right away. He's not a dumb man, it would have made him very suspicious if I hadn't left with him. Before you start shouting me about the listening devises, I had to leave them behind since he employs a man just to make sure no one's bugged. If I would have entered his suite carrying anything electronic aside from a cell phone, I'd be dead right now," Lauren said in a know-it-all kinda way. She didn't want to come across as condescending, but she believed strongly that her way had been the best.

"What did you do in his suite? Did he show you the blueprints of the target he plans on bombing?" Nadia said professionally, ignoring the looks of hatred Rachel was throwing in her direction. She couldn't help herself from smiling and being happy, she and Jack had come clean about their relationship and the world hadn't come to an end. Only thing that bothered her was Sydney's upcoming reaction, if her sister hadn't been listing at the office, the word would undoubtedly come back to her.

"He didn't show me anything relating to the next bombing, he didn't want to talk about it at all. All he wanted was to hear about what's been going on with me recently and then we had a glass of champagne before I excused myself." Lauren said dumping her bag on the table and taking her jacket.

"That doesn't sound like Daivari at all. He's known for having multiple dalliances with woman and isn't the type to just invite you to his suite to ship champagne with no ulterior motives," Rachel said with voice filled with disbelief and stared at Lauren with questioning eyes.

"What are you implying? Besides I thought we already established that no one cares what you think or don't believe. I'd just be quiet if I were you," Nadia replied with a self-satisfied smile, she had already won one round against Rachel which had tasted so good. The only thing that could have topped that would have been if Rachel had taken a major tumble in front of everyone, but this would do.

"Vincent Daivari is a love 'em and leave 'em type, he loses interest very quickly. I'm in the minority as someone who has never slept with him, making me very interesting in his eyes. He respects me because I don't fall to his bed, he sees me as an equal which is rare." Lauren explained, noticing the tension between Nadia and Rachel, which seemed worse than before. She was curious at what had happened to change the delicate status quo between the two women.

"Do you think we'll be able to get the information about the bombing tonight? It's not good to delay detaining him, as soon as we have the location, he's going to apprehended. Daivari is too dangerous to let go, with a duel citizenship of Jordan and America, he travels way too freely to my liking," Jack said taking a file from the desk that contained all possible targets where bombs could go off during the Presidents meeting with Jordan's King Abdullah II.

"His biggest weakness is his ego, stroke it the right way he'll tell you almost anything. Complement his previous bombings, his shoes and most importantly his cleverness that he hasn't been apprehended before." Lauren instructed. If luck would be in their corner, Daivari could be caught tonight and handed over in the care of Jordan's officials. He would then be extradited to the US according to the agreement made by the two countries and would be facing trial for terrorism most likely being sentenced to death by lethal injection for the deaths of a dozen American citizen's in the last couple of years. Jordan had expressed desire to press charges against him for crimes committed against the Jordan people, but due to his involvement in international terrorism and being born in Michigan, he would be tried as an natural born American.

To be continued…

Next chapter: Jack and Rachel meet Daivari and something goes wrong. 


End file.
